Bittersweet Love
by Artificial Tears
Summary: Chapter 14 - "Malfoy? How could you love Malfoy?" Harry spat."It's the same as loving a cube of ice! Cold, dead, unemotional, hard, mean... Do I need to say more?"
1. One

A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1  
  
Cho Chang stepped onto Platform 9 ¾ gracefully. Today was the day that another school year began.  
  
Cho had been newly appointed head-girl this year and even though she was honored, she felt quite upset when she found out that Draco Malfoy was to be Head-Boy.  
  
Despite him being only a sixth year, Professor Dumbledore had obviously thought him ready to carry such a big responsibility, although she thought Harry Potter could do a better job. It was quite an honor for Draco, because usually only seventh years were appointed the head-boy and head- girl positions.  
  
Cho made sure that the porter had taken care of her bags, then boarded the train and into the Prefects compartment.  
  
After saying hello to everyone, she settled in the corner of the compartment, but after awhile, she couldn't take the cacophony of voices and left.  
  
She found and empty compartment and after sitting down, stared out of the window at the peaceful green pastures.  
  
She had been looking forward to returning to Hogwarts for the whole duration of the summer holidays as she hated her home.  
  
Cho thought it quite ironic. Everyone thought that she led a peaceful, happy life, but in fact, it was the complete opposite.  
  
Her parents had started fighting last summer. Apparently, her father had had an affair with another woman, and a muggle at that, and her mother had found out.  
  
Now, Cho had nothing against muggles, but Cho's mother had felt insulted at being second to a muggle, and thus, they had started fighting.  
  
It used to be bearable, because she had her older brother Jae to go through the lang days with her. But then Jae had moved out to live with his friend in Diagon Alley as he said that he couldn't 'unleash his inner spirit' with all the noise. You see, Jae was writing a book that he hoped to get published one day. Cho didn't know what the book was about as Jae refused to let anyone see his work.  
  
A sigh escaped Cho's lips. It seemed that ever since Cedric's death two years ago, bad luck had plagued her.  
  
Everybody seemed to avoid her, even her best friends. Her parents had started fighting and Jae had moved out. And now, Draco Malfoy was head-boy. What was the world coming to?  
  
If only Cedric were there. Cho was sure that he could cure her pain.  
  
A knock on the compartment door jerked her out of her stupor.  
  
"Yes," Cho answered, and Draco Malfoy walked in.  
  
_Oh God_, Cho thought. "What do you want, Malfoy?"  
  
"Jesus, I just wanted a place to sit. If you don't want to see me, just say so Chang," Draco retorted.  
  
"Whatever," Cho said and went back to staring out of the window.  
  
Draco sat down on the opposite side, facing Cho. Draco had never noticed it before, but Cho was actually very pretty. He took out a hardcover edition of the book _'Inferior Mudbloods'_ by Maria Del'Valle, a very infamous pureblood, wanted in many countries for murdering several Mudbloods. His father had given the book to him just before he boarded the train with instructions to read it because he would be sending over a test with the family owl and he expects Draco to receive full marks.  
  
_'Chapter 1. Introduction. Mudbloods are wizards or witches that are not pure, as gathered from the name. Mudbloods are the offspring of muggles (non-magic folk) and are educated in magic. Mudbloods are inferior to Purebloods in many ways...'_  
  
Draco sighed and slammed the book shut. Cho looked up.  
  
"What is it with you, Malfoy?" she demanded.  
  
Draco didn't answer.  
  
"What's that you're reading?" Cho asked, and took the book gently form Draco. "_'Inferior Mudbloods'_?"  
  
Draco grabbed the book back. "My father expects me to read it. I have no other choice but to obey," he said sadly.  
  
"You always have a choice, Malfoy. You just choose to think that you have no choice," Cho said.  
  
"It's not like I want to read the damn book, Chang!" Draco said jumping to his feet.  
  
"Then don't," Cho said quietly.  
  
"Chang, don't you understand? I have to. My father expects me to," Draco said, sitting down again.  
  
"Everything your father says, you obey, don't you have a mind of your own, Malfoy?" Cho shouted, storming out of the compartment, leaving a very speechless Draco behind.


	2. Two

_A/N: I do not own anything. All the characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 2  
  
Upon arriving at Hogwarts, everybody filed into the great hall for the start of the term banquet and sorting ceremony.  
  
Draco was very fed up about the argument between him and Cho on the train, as he saw the truth in her words. She was right, he did have a choice, but Draco being Draco didn't like to admit that he was in the wrong, and at the moment he hated Cho.  
  
The Sorting Ceremony began, and Draco wished that it would end quickly, because then the dinner would start sooner, meaning that the whole ceremony would end sooner.  
  
After the Sorting Ceremony, Dumbledore made his usual start of the term speech.  
  
"Welcome, welcome all! To another year at Hogwarts! I trust that you will be comfortable. Before we begin, I have a few announcements to make, Mr Filch, our care taker , has added acidic tattoos and screaming nail polish to the list of banned items, bring the total number of banned items to 359.  
  
"Next, our muggle studies teacher, Proffessor Perett, during the hoildays, apparently slipped in the bath and broke her leg and several ribs. She is now complete healed, but doesn't feel up to teaching, so I would like to introduce her substitute, Proffessor Colfer."  
  
Everybody started applauding as a scrawny man donning a horrible mustard coloured robe stood up.  
  
"Students are to be reminded that the Dark Forest is strictly out of bounds to all. The new head-boy and girl are Cho Chang and Draco Malfoy," Dumbledore said, At the name 'Draco' everybody started murmuring. Dumbledore ignored this and continued.  
  
"And on to the most exciting news, I have received a lot of feedback about the Yule ball held two years ago during the Triwizard Tournament. A lot of suggestion have been put forward to another Yule Ball and all the teachers have agreed that have it improved the sprits of some. Thus, we are holding a Yule Ball yearly just before the school let's out for winter holiday, " Dumbledore said, and at that, the whole school burst into cheer.  
  
"Let the feast begin," Dumbledore raised his hands and succulent food appeared on the plates before them.  
  
Draco immediately stood up to leave the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall came running after him.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" Draco turned. "Rules have changed. You will no longer be staying in your usual dormitory. You will be sharing a room with the head- girl, Miss Chang. The room is in the North Tower, third floor, behind the painting of a vase of flowers. The password's 'invisible ink'" with that, the professor turned and hurried away.  
  
Share a room with Chang? It is bad enough with Cho being Head-girl, but share a room?  
  
_Oh well, no point being upset about it,_ he thought. There was nothing he could do.  
  
He eventually found the room. It was big and circular (quite like Professor Dumbledore's room) with a fireplace, two books shelves, tables and cosy chairs for studying. At the back of the room was a spiral staircase leading to an inner room. Draco entered. Inside the room were two four-poster beds, a chest of drawers and a bedside table beside each bed. The right side of the room was a door leading to a bathroom. Draco and Cho's luggage were already placed at the foot of each bed. Draco got the bed on the left. Cho got the one on the right next to the bathroom.  
  
Since he had nothing to do, Draco started unpacking. He was just putting away his books on a shelf when Cho came in. She was holding a few chicken wings wrapped up neatly in napkins and a cup of pumpkin juice, which she held out to Draco.  
  
"I saw you leaving the Great Hall. Thought that you might be hungry, so I brought you this," she said.  
  
"Thanks. I am rather hungry," Draco accepted the offered food. "Hey I'm sorry about the train. I was wrong."  
  
"Don't think about it," Cho said and headed up the spiral staircase.  
  
The first thought Cho had when she entered the room was _'What did I do wrong to have God punish me and make me share a room with Malfoy?'_  
  
Cho took off her robes and without taking off anything else jumped into her bed, drew her bed curtains and went to bed. She was too tired to think.  
  
A few minutes later she heard Draco enter the room and go to bed too.


	3. Three

_A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 3  
  
Lessons started the next day. Somehow Cho made it through the day. She wasn't feeling too well. After dinner, she stumbled back into the Head's room. Draco was already there.  
  
"What's wrong, Chang?" Draco asked. Cho didn't answer. Instead, she swayed on the spot and fell. Draco jumped up and managed to catch her in time.  
  
"My god, Chang, you're burning up! Let's get you to Madam Promfrey," Draco's eyebrows were knitted. Cho could only mumble incoherent speech. Draco picked Cho up and carried her to the hospital wing.  
  
Madam Promfrey gave Cho a mouthful of medicine and then Cho drifted off into a restless sleep.  
  
"Carry her back. All she needs now is a good night's rest. She'll be fine in the morning," she said, so Draco carried Cho all the way back up.  
  
Up in the room, Draco placed Cho gently on her bed. Now what was he supposed to do? Undress her? Draco dismissed the thought immediately. It would be stripping Cho of her dignity.  
  
In the end, he just removed her robe and her tie. Cho didn't budge at all while he was trying to remove her robe. She was dead to the world.  
  
Draco took a chair and his 'Inferior Muggles' book and sat by Cho's side throughout the night.  
  
When Cho awoke the next morning, she felt fine. She sat up and saw a hunched figure sitting by her bedside snoring gently.  
  
"Aaah!" she shrieked, causing Draco to wake.  
  
"Wha-what?" Draco said groggily.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here Malfoy?" Cho demanded.  
  
"You fainted remember? I carried you to the hospital wing and back," he mumbled, going back asleep.  
  
"What happened to my robe and tie?"  
  
"Hmm? I removed them..." Draco said, half asleep already.  
  
"What?" Cho grabbed Draco's book, which happened to be lying on her bedside table, and used it to hit him. Unfortunately for Draco, the book was a hardcover.  
  
"Hey!" Now Draco was awake!  
  
"Get out! Get out immediately!" Cho screamed.  
  
Draco didn't need any more motivation. He hurried to his own bed. "Yeah, you're welcome!" he called over his shoulder.  
  
Cho went down to breakfast and her best friends, Pearl and Eve were waiting for her.  
  
"What's wrong Cho?" Eve asked, seeing that Cho looked flustered.  
  
"Well, I passed out into Draco Malfoy's arms by accident yesterday. He carried me to the hospital wing and back, then put me in bed and sat by me the whole night," Cho said, helping herself to bacon and eggs.  
  
"Draco Malfoy? Oh, he's so hot! Cho you are so lucky!" Pearl crooned. Cho noticed that they hadn't said anything or showed any concern that she had been sick. "He's every girl's dream!"  
  
"Not mine," Cho interrupted. "Did I mention that he also took the liberty of removing my robe and tie?"  
  
"Ah! How romantic!" Pearl said dreamily staring at the back of Draco's head as he entered the great hall.  
  
"Pearl, Eve, shut up! Don't want the whole world to know!" Cho said, taking a bite out of her bacon.  
  
"We won't tell anybody," they promised.  
  
Of course, Pearl and Eve couldn't help their abnormally large mouths and by lunch, Cho was known as the luckiest girl in the school and Draco had a reputation with the female population of the school to be a sexy romantic.  
  
Cho, of course, was angry at Pearl and Eve, so she stomped off to class early in a rage, but on the way, she heard voices coming out of a nearby classroom.  
  
"Malfoy, what did you do to her? Word has it that you robbed her of her innocence," Cho heard. It sounded like Ronald Weasley.  
  
"Yeah, Malfoy, what kind of sick pervert are you?" That was Hermione. Cho was sure of it.  
  
Cho rushed into the classroom in time to see Hermione slap Draco and Ron delivering a hearty punch square into Draco's stomach. Draco clutched his stomach and doubled up on the floor.  
  
"Stop! What are you all of you doing to poor Draco? Fifty points from Gryffindor! I am appalled at this ruthless behaviour! You are both Prefects, for God's sake! What ever did he do to you?" Cho said, kneeling by the fallen Draco. She took out a piece of tissue and started mopping up the blood coming from his profusely bleeding nose.  
  
"Not what he did to us, Cho, but what he did to you and Harry," Ron replied.  
  
"Draco didn't do anything to me! He stayed with me the whole time I was sick! Why are you hitting someone as caring as that? Anyway, what does Harry have to do with this?" Cho replied, tears streaming down her cheeks. She hated quarrels and arguments. She'd experienced too much of it at home.  
  
"Do you know how hurt Harry's been to find this out? He still has feelings for you, Cho!" Hermione said.  
  
Cho didn't answer.  
  
"Are you sure you're all right, Cho?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure!" Cho snapped. "Could you please call Madam Promfrey up here?"  
  
The two hurried out of the room.  
  
"Oh, Draco, are you all right?" Cho stroked Draco's silky blond hair.  
  
"You- you used my first name!" Draco gasped.  
  
"Yes, I never got the chance to thank you for what you did last night," Cho whispered and kissed Draco on the cheek. Right then, Madam Promfrey bustled into the room.  
  
"Now, what do we have here?" Cho moved aside to let Madam Promfrey examine Draco. She kept hmm-ing and ah-ing and poked Draco in places with a stick. Draco gasped and winced every time he was prodded.  
  
"Madam Promfrey! Stop! You're hurting him!" Cho cried.  
  
"He's broken a few ribs and his nose, too. May have internal bleeding. Got to check," and with that, Madam Promfrey conjured up a stretcher and elevated Draco onto it. "Should be better in a jiffy though" Cho looked at her watch. "Oh no! I'm late for class! Professor Snape is going to kill me!"  
  
"You'd better go, then. I'll send your boyfriend up to your room later," Madam Promfrey said.  
  
"He's not my boyfriend," Cho objected, blushing.  
  
"Not from what I've heard!" Madam Promfrey smiled, a twinkle in her eyes as Cho rushed out of the room.  
  
"Kids these days... tsk tsk tsk..." Madam Promfrey mumbled.

_Hope you liked this chapter. Please R/R. The action heats up in the next chapter!_


	4. Four

_A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 4  
  
After lessons and doing her rounds, Cho rushed back to her room. Draco was already back from the hospital wing, resting.  
  
"How are you?" Cho asked, sitting at the foot of Draco's bed.  
  
"A little bit sore, here and there, but otherwise, fine," Draco said. An awkward moment passed without either of them saying anything.  
  
"Erm, thanks for coming when you did, I don't know what would have happened if..."  
  
Cho was barely listening. Suddenly, she leaned over and kissed Draco full on the lips.  
  
Draco was cut off in mid-sentence. He was surprised but responded quickly. Cho's arms went around Draco's neck and his hands were in her hair. But then, as quickly as it began, Cho pulled away.  
  
"I shouldn't have done that," she said. Without another word, Cho rushed to her own bed and drew the curtains.  
  
She still had feelings for Harry. What was she thinking, kissing Draco like that?  
  
Two weeks passed with Cho and Draco not speaking to each other. It was not a cold kind of not speaking, but simply a kind of not speaking simply because they felt that there were no need for words.  
  
"Hey, Draco, don't forget, tomorrow is the first Hogsmeade trip. We're scheduled to help Filch check attendance," Cho reminded Draco on Friday night while they were doing their homework.  
  
"Yeah, Hogsmeade," Draco mumbled.  
  
"Are you going?"  
  
"Nah, nobody to go with," Draco answered.  
  
"Would you like to go with me? I mean, I need to get a dress for the Yule Ball," Cho asked tentatively.  
  
Draco stiffened. Cho was asking him to Hogsmeade?  
  
"Erm, sure, yeah," Draco replied.  
  
They both stared at each other, then at the exact same moment, they both burs out laughing, and with that, the tension between them from the last two weeks were broken.  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Colin Creevy"  
  
"Okay, you're cleared to go," Cho said, ticking Colin's name off her clipboard.  
  
"Next," she called and the last person in line stepped forward. _Finally_, she thought. She looked up and gasped. It was Harry Potter.  
  
They stared at each other.  
  
"Erm, Harry, you're cleared to go," Cho muttered and started to pack her things to leave.  
  
"Wait, Cho, just one minute please!" Harry said, grabbing Cho's arm before she had the chance to leave.  
  
"What is it Harry? I'm kind of in a hurry"  
  
"Look, I'm really sorry about what happened to Malfoy. Ron and Hermione told me. Honestly, I had nothing to do with it!" Harry said.  
  
"I don't blame you for anything, Harry," Cho said, tugging her arm back.  
  
"Do you have a date to the Yule Ball?" he asked.  
  
"No, not at the moment," Cho felt hopeful, but didn't show it. She still had feelings for Harry, and was hoping he would ask her to the Yule Ball.  
  
"Would you like to go with me?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes! I would love to go with you!"  
  
"Great!" Harry smiled and ran after Ron and Hermione towards Hogsmeade. "See you at the Yule Ball!"  
  
Cho felt like she was on cloud nine. Harry had asked her to the Yule Ball!  
  
Cho found Draco at the side gate, dealing with a third year who said that he had handed in his consent form, but had obviously not.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you through without a signed consent form! School regulations," Draco said, and with that, shut the side gate.  
  
Together, Cho and Draco started the short walk to Hogsmeade.  
  
They walked in comfortable silence until Draco asked "Cho, would you like to go with me to the Yule Ball?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, I can't. I'm going with Harry. Sorry," Cho replied, looking down.  
  
"Oh, it's all right, I understand," Potter? She was going with Potter? His enemy, Potter? Draco looked down for he did not want Cho to see the hurt in his eyes.


	5. Five

_A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. All chracters are owned by J.K.Rowling._

Chapter 5  
  
At Madam Rosa's Formal Wear, Cho picked a dozen different dresses and tried them out. She made Draco tell her what he thought of each dress, but frankly, Draco thought they all looked the same, because she looked good in all of them.  
  
After a red flowy dress, a black halter necked one, a yellow long sleeve one, an emerald green two piece, a purple belly revealing dress and a white toga dress, Draco felt like the day would never end. What is so fun about shopping that all girls loved?  
  
Finally, Cho came out in a navy blue chiffon spaghetti strap dress.  
  
"I think that this is the dress I will be getting," Cho said. "What do you think, Draco?" she asked, twirling around.  
  
"You look nice," Draco said in awe. He couldn't take his eyes off her. The dress was very fitting, hugging all of Cho's delicate curves. The dress also showed a little cleavage.  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Okay, let me go get a few alterations done, this dress is too long," Cho said, going off to find Madam Rosa.  
  
A few minutes later, Cho returned, holding her dress. They joined the queue at the check out counter.  
  
"That'll be 3 galleons, 9 sickles and 17 knuts please," the cashier said when it was their turn.  
  
"Oh shoot! I left my wallet back at the castle!" Cho gasped, rummaging around in her purse.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll get it," Draco said, already counting out galleons.  
  
"No, charge it on me," Harry said, stepping forward. He had been behind them in line the whole time and they hadn't noticed.  
  
Harry placed a suit on the counter top. "Charge the suit and the dress together please"  
  
"That'll be 7 galleons, 3 sickles and 8 knuts," the cashier said, looking bored.  
  
Harry counted out 8 galleons. "Keep the change," he told the cashier. Harry handed the wrapped package containing the dress to Cho. "Can't wait for the ball, Cho. See you!" he said and exited the shop.  
  
Back in their room later, Cho said to Draco "Thanks for offering to pay for the dress"  
  
"Whatever," Draco mumbled. Cho didn't hear. She was too busy fantasizing about Harry.  
  
The next day, Draco's bad mood only worsened when a letter arrived from home.  
  
_Draco,  
I have been informed that you have a quidditch match this weekend against Ravenclaw House. I have gotten special permission from Dumbledore to come down to watch you play. Prove to me that you are worthy of my praise._  
  
_Your father, Lucius_  
  
Draco choked on his milk and Goyle thumped him hard on the back, causing him to cough even more viciously.  
  
How had his father known about the match? Who had told him? And worse, he was coming! He'd better start training immediately.  
  
The week passed studying Ravenclaw tactics. Training, studies and his head-boy duties were juggled and crammed into one hectic timetable for Draco.  
  
Cho didn't help at all. She was always too excited and gurgled about Harry Potter every waking hour.  
  
Draco was still very hurt at seeing Cho go off with Harry. What did she see in him?  
  
The night before the match, Draco couldn't sleep.  
  
Everything was too overwhelming. Studies. Love for Cho. Hate for Potter. Fear of his father. Draco eventually drifted off to sleep, somewhere around dawn.

_A/N: Next chapter, what will happen at the quidditch match? _

_And to answer questions to my reviewers, there will be an unexpected twist at the end of the story. Please keep reviewing as your reviews are of great help. Thanks!_


	6. Six

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 6  
  
The day of the match dawned dark and gray. Clouds loomed threateningly overhead.  
  
Draco awoke with Cho rudely shaking him.  
  
"Huh? Wha-?" Draco mumbled, still half asleep.  
  
"Sleepy head! Come on! You're late! The match is about to start!" Cho said.  
  
Draco opened his eyes. Ch was standing over Cho was standing over him in her royal blue quidditch robes.  
  
"The match! The match!" Draco was fully awake now. He jumped up and headed for the bathroom.  
  
He quickly changed into his green and silver quidditch robes, and grabbed his Nimbus 2500.  
  
"I grabbed some toast for you," Cho said, shoving a stack of toast at Draco.  
  
"Thanks," Draco said, gratefully accepting the toast and started eating it.  
  
Cho sat on her bed watching Draco. "You know you're cute when you're flustered"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Erm, nothing," Cho couldn't believe she just said that out loud.  
  
Draco finished his toast. "Come on, let's go," he said and headed for the door. Cho followed suit.  
  
Slytherin was up by twenty points.  
  
Cho circled over the field, while the spectators cheered her on. She eventually spotted the snitch near the bottom of the middle goalpost and dived toward it.  
  
She expected to have the feel of the snitch in her hand, and is surprised when Draco knocked roughly to the side. Her side throbbed in pain where Draco had knocked into it. The knock had thrown her off course.  
  
She heard the displeased roar of the crowd.  
  
But soon she is back on his tail, pursuing his white blond head as they weaved through obstacles.  
  
They reached some open space and she gave her broom a little burst of speed.  
  
Cho was now shoulder to shoulder with Draco. He didn't look like he noticed that Cho had caught up. His attention was completely focused on capturing the snitch.  
  
Cho wondered what had gotten into him. Surely all this determination cannot be for just winning the game! This was a totally different Draco from the one she had come to know over the weeks.  
  
The both see the glint of the snitch ahead, and they both plunge ahead, neck and neck.  
  
Whenever Cho gets too far into Draco's space, he had no qualms whatsoever about correcting her by physical means. The sides of Cho's body were going to be black and blue later.  
  
The deafening roar of the crowd barely registers on Cho's mind, but she does notice vaguely that everyone was standing up and craning their necks to see Chang and Malfoy battle for the win.  
  
This motivated Cho and she sped up, eventually pulled ahead of Draco and deftly caught the snitch.  
  
The slithering contingent of spectators visibly deflated. Everyone else was cheering loudly.  
  
"Ravenclaw win with 180 points!" Lee Jordan announced.  
  
Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, was there on the field to meet Draco as he landed. It had started raining heavily.  
  
"Draco," he greeted curtly.  
  
"Father"  
  
"You have disappointed me, Draco," Lucius Malfoy wasted no words. "What do you have to say?"  
  
Draco ignored his father and started to walk off the field, but Lucius held him firmly in place.  
  
"Have I thought you nothing, son? Do not walk away from me when I am speaking, it is insufferably rude!"  
  
Draco sighed.  
  
"I understand that there is a ball coming up," Lucius said. "Who have you asked?"  
  
"Not going," Draco mumbled, looking at the ground, tugging his arm back from his father's iron clad grip.  
  
"Tsk, tsk... Is that a hint of disappointment in your voice? Tell me! Who did you ask?"  
  
Draco didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the back of Cho's slowly retreating figure as she walked off the field towards the dressing rooms. His father saw the loning and pain in his eyes.  
  
"You asked her? The girl who just beat you?" Lucius exclaimed. "She beat you and she's Asian, Draco, please understand that. Not pure British like us. Obviously not good enough for you."  
  
"She rejected me anyway. She's going with Potter," Draco said bitterly.  
  
"She is? Is that so..." Lucius said, digesting this piece of news.  
  
Draco nodded.  
  
"Aah... Why don't you ask your ex-girlfriend, Alexa McDoug? She's very nice, I don't see why you broke up with her in the first place!"  
  
"NO!" Draco protested.  
  
"Either you ask her or ask Pansy Parkinson," Lucius said. "I will be watching you, Draco" and he stomped off the field, he had something else to do before he left.


	7. Seven

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 7  
  
Draco slammed the door behind him. He stormed up the spiral staircase and through the open door of their sleeping quarters.  
  
He grabbed a towel and a fresh set of robes and headed for the bathroom. He muttered curses under his breath the whole time.  
  
He flung open the bathroom doors.  
  
"Jesus!" Draco cried.  
  
"Aah!" Cho shrieked.  
  
Cho was just coming out of the shower wearing only a set of, in Draco's opinion, sexy black and lacy undergarments.  
  
Cho used her towel to cover her body up, but the damage had been done. Draco had seen her. They stood like that awkwardly for several moments.  
  
Draco couldn't help noticing that Cho had a hot figure, but there was something that Draco felt he was overlooking. And then it came to him. The sides of Cho's body had been bruised.  
  
He walked towards Cho.  
  
"What are you doing?" Cho asked, as Draco made to remove the towel covering her. "Draco!"  
  
"You're hurt. Let me see"  
  
Cho finally gave in and let the towel drop to the floor. She just imagined that Draco was seeing her in a bikini and not her undergarments.  
  
"Oh, God," Draco breathed. The sides of Cho's body was not just bruised, they were bleeding. "Who did this to you?"  
  
"You did! During the quidditch match!" Cho blurted out, tears spilling out of her eyes.  
  
"Oh Cho! I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Draco exclaimed. It was true, Draco had not been aware of his actions during the quidditch match. The only thing he had known was that he had to win.  
  
"Come on Cho. Let me help you," Draco led Cho to her bed and rummaged through his suitcase for some pain relieving balm and bandages.  
  
He rubbed the balm on the bruised areas causing Cho to wince. He then wrapped the bruised skin up with bandages.  
  
Cho got up gingerly and started dressing. Draco noticed that she was dressing with more care than usual, curling her hair and putting on lip- gloss and eye shadow. Underneath her robes, she wore a short black velvety dress.  
  
Cho noticed Draco staring at her and though she loved the attention, she got up and exited the room without another word. She was already late for he meeting with Harry.  
  
She could feel Draco's longing eyes on her.  
  
Draco sighed. He silently picked up his robes and headed for the shower.


	8. Eight

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 8  
  
After taking his shower, Draco slowly made his way towards the Slytherin Common Room. Despite him getting a separate room, he still had access to his house Common Room.  
  
On the way, he passed an empty classroom. Draco was about to take no noticed about it, but he noticed some noises coming from inside the room. He looked into the room through the window. Instantly, he wished he hadn't.  
  
Cho was sitting on Harry's lap in the middle of the room. They had their arms around each other and were kissing.  
  
Draco felt his heart wrench it self out of his body and drop to the floor. He had such strong feelings for Cho, how could she do this to him?  
  
But his hurt was soon replaced by a burning anger for Potter. It seemed that whatever he wanted, Potter always snatched it away from him.  
  
Disheartened, Draco continued to head towards the common room.  
  
As he entered, he was greeted with a shower of groans and sneers. "You missed the snitch by an inch, Draco," Goyle said.  
  
Draco chose to ignore that comment. "Is Alexa around?"  
  
The crowd parted, revealing Alexa sitting on an armchair in the middle of the room. Her legs were crossed and she was filing her nails.  
  
Alexa was a very beautiful girl, an exchange student from the American institute for magic, Salem.  
  
Every head in the common room was turned towards them as they watched in anticipation to see what would happen. Almost everyone knew that Alexa had only dated Draco last year on a bet. Draco had found out and had dumped her.  
  
Alexa stood up as Draco neared her.  
  
"Come outside with me for a while," Draco requested. Alexa said nothing but followed Draco out into the dungeon hallway with a smug smile on her face.  
  
"Go with me to the Yule Ball?" Draco asked bluntly.  
  
"I was wondering when you were going to ask," Alexa replied. "Yes, I will go with you!"  
  
"Great," Draco said half heartedly as he started to leave. "Pick you up at seven"  
  
"Wait!" Alexa said. Draco turned back, and she out her arms around his neck.  
  
In this half-light, Alexa looked very pretty. She was Eurasian, with black hair like Cho's.  
  
Draco felt his heart beat accelerating. His breath came out in short gasps.  
  
"I always knew you'd come to your sense and take me back," she whispered seductively, her face mere centimeters from Draco's.  
  
Draco drew in a sharp breath. Alexa moved her face forward and her lips met with Draco's. They started kissing passionately. Draco felt Alexa's tongue entering his mouth.  
  
It felt so good to Draco. He hadn't kissed like that for a long time. He forgot all about Cho. He slipped his hand inside Alexa's robes.  
  
Just then, the stone wall covering the Slytherin common room slid open and Pansy Parkinson stepped out.  
  
Draco pulled away from Alexa. He was breathing heavily and had a red flush set upon his neck. "Oh, shit"  
  
Pansy had a huge crush on Draco for forever and everybody knew it. Draco had dated Pansy before, but she didn't suit his taste, so he had dumped her. But Pansy could never accept that fact that Draco didn't like her.  
  
When she saw the scene before her – Draco and Alexa both with ruffled hair, both breathing heavily and Alexa's lip gloss on Draco's lips, she burst into tears.  
  
Seeing Pansy cry made Draco drop back down to reality. He remembered Cho and Harry.  
  
Pansy ran off.  
  
"Draco, let her go. Where were we?" Alexa said.  
  
"No, Alexa. See you at the Ball," and with that, Draco walked away.  
  
He didn't love Alexa. His love was for Cho and always would be.


	9. Nine

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters ar owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 9  
  
Cho started getting ready four hours before the Yule Ball was due to start. Draco, who was as usual, studying, looked upon her with amusement. He was always baffled at why girls had to spend so much time on their appearance.  
  
He watched as Cho started brushing her hair. One stroke, two strokes, three strokes... He lost count after a hundred and fifty two.  
  
Cho noticed him staring. "What are you looking at Draco?"  
  
Draco blushed. "Erm, nothing," he mumbled and went back to reading his 'Muggle Sciences' book.  
  
Cho dismissed his actions with a nod of her head.  
  
After brushing her already sleek black hair, she entered the bathroom. Draco was disappointed. He wanted to see her and her girly antics some more.  
  
He heard the sound of the water running - she was taking a bath.  
  
He imagined Cho getting into the bath... ooh la la... Draco shook his head. What was he thinking?  
  
After another half an hour of studying (If you call thinking about Cho studying), Draco heard Cho get out of the bath.  
  
Sure enough, a minute later, Cho came out clad in only a baby blue silk bathrobe and a towel wrapped around her hair.  
  
As Cho walked past Draco to get to the vanity table, Draco got a whiffed of her scent. She smelled like jasmine, courtesy of the bubble bath she used just now.  
  
Cho sat down at the table and started gathering bottles and containers of a dozen different concoctions and potions.  
  
He watched as Cho removed the towel from around her hair, causing it to cascade in damp, wavy locks to below her shoulders. With a flick of her wand and an uttered spell, her magnificent mane was blown dry.  
  
Cho then picked up her brush and started pulling it through her hair again. Now that really confused Draco. Why brush her hair again when she had already brushed it? Heck, why even brush her hair before going into the bath?  
  
Draco sighed and exited the room. He needed a walk.  
  
Cho watched with relief as Draco left the room. If she had spent another minute in his presence, she felt that she would break down and cry.  
  
She felt sick and tired of this, this game! Is that what you called it, a game?  
  
She knew that she didn't love Harry, she loved Draco.  
  
_But, no, I can't be with him. It's simply not possible_, Cho thought to herself, and a lone tear trickled down her cheek.  
  
She quickly wiped it away. She couldn't let distractions like Draco get in the way of what she had to do. She could have Draco later.  
  
With a renewed determination, Cho opened a tube and squeezed out moisturizer and rubbed her face in it.  
  
She had to protect her loved ones first. They always came first.  
  
But yet, as she applied powder to her face, she wondered. Isn't Harry a friend too? Is he not good enough to be considered a loved one?  
  
As she applied her sparkly pink lip-gloss, another voice in her head argued. _Harry is of course a loved one! He was there for you when Cedric died. He was always there for you! Is this how you are going to return his kindness? By betraying him?_  
  
Cho put on her mascara. _But I love my family more than Harry. I will never love Harry as more than a friend._

With a howl, Cho threw down her bottle of hair spray. Tears were overflowing and her mascara was running.  
  
She felt trapped. Trapped in this box where she could not see the light. There was no way to get out. She only could sit in silence and suffer.

_A/N: What do you think? Some stuff are revealed in this chapter. Hope you liked it. Next chapter - what will happen at the Yule Ball? Please review!_


	10. Ten

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

**Latest news have revealed that Blaise Zabini is a BOY, so I have changed the female Blaise in this story to Alexa. Please re-read chapter 8 for a little background information on her. Thanks!**

Chapter 10  
  
By the time the Yule Ball started, Cho had freshened up and there was no sign visible of her earlier outburst.  
  
She had put on her navy blue chiffon spaghetti strap dress and had styled her hair into an elegant French twist perched on the back of her head.  
  
Her puffy eyes had disappeared, thanks to the miracle of powder, and her lips were coated with a layer of sparkly pink lip-gloss. Her cheeks were blushed pink, and her eyes were covered with a periwinkle blue eye shadow.  
  
To top it all off, she wrapped a silky semi-transparent dark blue shawl around her shoulders and donned black killer stiletto high heels and dangling crystal earrings.  
  
Draco still hadn't returned from his walk by the time she had finished getting ready. There was only a quarter of an hour left until the Yule Ball started - 6.45. Time to meet Harry.  
  
Cho sighed and got up. Why? WHY??? Why her? Why Harry? If Harry hadn't asked her for her forgiveness, she wouldn't be in this mess. If Cho hadn't accepted Harry's plea for forgiveness, she wouldn't be in this mess. If she hadn't told Draco that Harry had asked her to the Yule Ball, she wouldn't be in this mess. Oh, why! WHY?  
  
_Why do I have to this against my will then? I could always have refused to do it, _Cho thought gloomily._ Because they would harm Jae if I didn't agree. I can't let anything happen to Jae! He was always there for me, my big brother..._  
  
Cho was too absorbed in her thoughts and wasn't aware of her surroundings. Thus, she was surprised when she looked up and saw that she had already traveled out of the portrait hole and was standing in front of the majestic doors of the great hall, and Harry was waving to her.  
  
He was looking rather dashing, Cho had to admit, in his black suit and tie.  
  
"Hi Cho," Harry greeted as he approached. "You look beautiful tonight."  
  
"Thanks, Harry," Cho smiled. How could she ever have thought of betraying Harry? Harry, her friend. Harry, whose warm smile and twinkling eyes were so gentle, so open. Cho could never do anything to harm him.  
  
Seven. The Yule Ball was officially opened. The great hall doors parted, and students and couples rushed in, Cho and Harry among them, hand in hand.  
  
Cho had a great time at the Yule Ball, just forgetting all her Head-Girl responsibilities and having fun. She mingled with her friends, drank butterbeer and danced to the wacky tunes of the Weird Sisters.  
  
She was completely content with herself, until the moment she saw Draco enter the Great Hall, impeccable looking, as always, in a pair of slacks and a grey dress shirt and tie. Alexa McDoug was clutching his arm.  
  
_Alexa? Alexa McDoug? How could he pick Alexa McDoug over her? How could he?_ Cho was very hurt and felt tears welling up in her eyes. But then she thought back and her tears and hurt disappeared, to be replaced by a mixture of disappointment and regret.  
  
Draco hadn't chosen Alexa over her. It was the opposite. Draco had asked her, but she at that time, had had feelings for Harry, and Harry had asked her first, so she had rejected Draco.  
  
"What's wrong Cho?" Harry asked, concerned as he had noticed Cho's sudden silence.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I asked you what was wrong," Harry repeated patiently.  
  
"Oh, nothing, just thinking about how much I miss my brother," Cho fibbed.  
  
"I see. You're really close to your brother, huh?" Harry asked and nodded understandingly.  
  
"Yes." An awkward pause. "Erm, Harry, do you think we can go outside for a while? I want to be alone"  
  
Harry was only all too happy to agree.  
  
The weather outside was chilly. They sat by the calm lake, and found warmth in each other's arms.  
  
Harry started to kiss Cho, but she at the last moment, turned away, causing Harry's lips to brush against her hair.  
  
Harry frowned. "What did you do that for?"  
  
"Harry, I want to apologise for everything in advance. Please believe me when I say that I have no choice, and that I have to do what I have to do," Cho said, grabbing Harry's hands and looking him in the eye.  
  
"Okaaay," Harry replied, puzzled.  
  
"Okay, let's go back. It's getting colder," Cho said getting up.  
  
Harry seemed disappointed at leaving so soon, especially after such a puzzling confession. But nevertheless, he got up and followed Cho back into the castle without a word.  
  
There was quite a commotion in the great hall when they returned. It seemed like everybody had formed a circle around something or other.  
  
Cho and Harry pushed their way about until they came across their group of friends.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry shouted to Ron over the noise the crowd was making.  
  
"It's Draco and Alexa. They were caught under the mistletoe," Ron shouted back.  
  
"Draco and Alexa?" Cho asked.  
  
Ron nodded in affirmation. Cho immediately pushed her way to the front of the crowd, where indeed she saw Draco and Alexa standing.  
  
"KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS! KISS!" the crowd was shouting.  
  
"No, don't," Cho whispered under her breath.  
  
Draco seemed hesitant, but Alexa looked positively elated.  
  
Dumbledore then stood up from the teacher's table at the front of the great hall. Everyone fell silent.  
  
"Well, what a surprise. Mister Malfoy and Miss McDoug. I believe you both know the tradition," Dumbledore said, and the whole crowd cheered.  
  
Draco felt stunned, quite a rare thing. He had no idea what to do. Alexa was tugging the sleeve of his shirt and urging him to kiss her.  
  
"Drakey, come on... It's just one little kissy-wissy," Alexa pleaded, putting on a sweet tone and puppy eyes.  
  
Draco was struck with indecision, Cho could see. His expressions were easily read. Cho mentally sent telepathic messages to Draco. _Please don't do it. Please don't!_  
  
"Come on, Draco, the sooner we do this, the sooner it will all be over," Alexa said.  
  
"All right, all right!" Draco sighed, giving in.  
  
He and Alexa drew nearer and nearer, and soon, Alexa's lips touched Draco's. They started kissing like how they had kissed outside the dungeon the other day.  
  
The crowd hooted and cheered and Draco pulled away, just in time to see Cho running out of the great hall.  
  
Draco now realised that Cho had seen the whole thing and he felt ashamed at himself. He knew that he didn't love Alexa. He didn't even know why he did it. He supposed that it was because he knew Cho could never be his, so he had tried to force his feelings for Cho to switch to Alexa.  
  
But now Draco saw how much hurt he had caused Cho. _Well, she hurt me too! Just by accepting stupid Saint Potter's invitation to the Yule Ball. By kissing him in the classroom which I chanced upon the other day. And now, she is trying to make me feel guilty? She has no right to feel upset. She has no idea how much hurt she has caused me._  
  
So Draco continued the night, trying to flush all thoughts about Cho out of his system.

_A/N: I am sooo mean! I love making both characters suffer... Next chapter, what's going to happen between Cho and Draco? And what about poor Harry? Please review._


	11. Eleven

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 11  
  
Cho sat on her bed, across from Draco's, where he sat reading a book. Today was the day that everyone had returned to Hogwarts from the Christmas Holidays.  
  
Cho had gone to stay with her brother and his friend at their apartment in Diagon Alley. She had had a great time with them and had received lots of presents from friends and family alike. And her brother had bought her a new broom! It was the latest Nimbus model – Nimbus 3000. Cho was very happy upon receiving it, after all, it was time to upgrade her old Comet 260 broom.  
  
But as she watched Draco, she saw that more worry lines had been drawn on his forehead and he was paler. His movements were also stiffer. Cho wondered if his father had physically abused him over the holidays.  
  
Cho was still upset about the Yule Ball after witnessing Draco and Alexa's kiss under the mistletoe. She realized that it probably was all in good fun, but it still hurt.  
  
Draco made to get up from his bed, but as he moved, he winced. Cho instantly went to his side.  
  
"Draco, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Draco said.  
  
"What?" Cho said, taken aback.  
  
"I said, don't touch me!" he repeated and Cho backed away.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cho was now worried.  
  
"Don't I look okay, Chang?" Draco spat.  
  
Chang? CHANG? Why was he calling her Chang? Cho thought that they had been past calling each other by their last names. Then she understood.  
  
"Draco, are you hating me because your father told you to? It is, isn't it?" Cho asked tentatively.  
  
"Shut up, SHUT UP!" Draco exclaimed, taking the book he was reading and flung it across the room. He got up and walked towards Cho. She moved backwards, but was met with the wall. Cho was now afraid. She had never seen Draco in that mood before.  
  
Draco reached her and she panicked. He picked her up and slammed her into the wall, then crushed her lips to his.  
  
Cho was filled with a burning sensation as she responded to Draco's kiss. This was what she had been longing for ever since realizing her feelings for Draco. She had never felt anything like this with Harry.  
  
Draco pulled away and stared deep into Cho's vivid green eyes. "You know I could never be mean to you Cho," he whispered. Cho didn't have a chance to respond before her lips connected with his again.  
  
Still kissing, they stumbled onto Draco's bed. Smiling, Draco closed the bed curtains.

_A/N: Hee hee... _


	12. Twelve

_A/N: I do not own anything. All chracters are owned by J.K.Rowling._

Chapter 12  
  
Cho and Draco had been secretly meeting each other in secluded places occasionally around the school ever since that wonderful night a week ago.  
  
Cho never felt happier when Draco and her were together. Nevertheless, she still went out with Harry. Things couldn't have been better.  
  
And she was excited. Very excited. Today was her 17th birthday.  
  
When she woke up that morning, Draco had greeted her with a kiss and a beautiful necklace - a plain silver chain with a heart shaped diamond for the pendant.  
  
Cho was wearing it as she bounded to the great hall. The heart shaped diamond captured the morning rays of sunlight and it sparkled magically, receiving envious looks from other girls as they passed by her.  
  
She entered the great hall and when she reached her place, there were quite a number of different owls waiting patiently for her, all with beautifully wrapped parcels and cards of different sizes and colours attached to their legs.  
  
Cho sat down and people cluttered around her, offering her congrats and well wishes and handing her more presents.  
  
Cho was sorting out her various gifts when Harry came.  
  
"Hi Cho! Happy Birthday!" Harry said, and leant down to kiss Cho.  
  
Harry held out a gift to Cho. Cho took it. She held it, unsure of what she should do with it. Harry noticed her doubt.  
  
"Open it, silly!" Harry urged.  
  
Carefully as not to damage the magical colour changing wrapping paper, Cho unwrapped the gift. Inside was a royal blue necklace case. Cho opened it.  
  
A silver heart shaped locket lay against the soft cotton padding of the case. Cho drew a sharp intake of breath.  
  
The locket was beautiful. The delicate heart was polished to a gleaming shimmer, and the surface was engraved with beautiful and strange markings that Cho could not identify.  
  
"Oh Harry," Cho breathed. "You didn't have to do this..." Cho felt guilty at accepting such a beautiful thing from Harry. The locket was obviously expensive, and he had probably spent a lot of time picking it out. Cho was ashamed. She didn't want the gift, but she couldn't say that. If only Harry knew that she had been dating Draco behind his back, and what she was going to do to him.  
  
Cho felt hot tears start to form in her eyes, but quickly blinked them away. Luckily, her head had been down, so Harry hadn't seen her reaction.  
  
She closed the case softly and made to set it aside, but Harry stopped her.  
  
"Aren't you going to wear it?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, um, okay," Cho replied. She took the case again and opened it. She picked up the locket. It was hanging off a delicate silver chain so thin that Cho was afraid that she might break it.  
  
Cho then realised that she was already wearing the necklace that Draco had given her. She tried to cover it, in hopes that Harry would not see it, but too late.  
  
"Hey, is this new? I've never seen it before," Harry said, lightly touching the necklace Cho was wearing.  
  
"Oh, um, this? Yeah, it's new. I just got it from my brother. He bought it from Diagon Alley," Cho said quickly.  
  
"Really? He gave you two presents?" Harry said, showing Cho a big rectangular shaped box with _To Cho From Jae_ written in big black bold capitals in a childish scrawl across the front of the package.  
  
Cho mentally slapped herself. Trust Jae to be too lazy to buy a gift tag and write everything on the present itself.  
  
"Oh, this old thing? Oh, um, Jae gave this to me last year, but I forgot to wear it!" Cho quickly amended.  
  
Harry looked doubtful but he still helped Cho remove the diamond necklace and helped her to fasten the locket on.  
  
Harry then sat next to her for breakfast (though Cho had to remove quite a lot of packages off the chair before Harry could sit down).  
  
Almost the whole female population looked at Cho through envious eyes. After all, what girl wouldn't want to be in Cho's shoes?  
  
Look at it this way, she's pretty, popular, had the whole male population after her, smart, got a new necklace, was surrounded by hoards of presents and had a handsome boyfriend.  
  
In the middle of breakfast, though, another lone owl came with a note for Cho.  
  
The owl was pure black. Cho instantly recognised it as Draco's owl, Onyx. His owl was his pride and joy. Cho frowned. What was it that Draco was sending her? And why couldn't he have chosen a better time?  
  
Onyx hooted regally, demanding Cho's attention. Feeling Harry's eyes on her, Cho removed the small slip of parchment from Onyx's leg and fed it a piece of bacon from her plate.  
  
With her body shielding Harry's view from the note, Cho quickly read it._ Meet me in the empty Muggle Studies classroom (Third floor corridor) at 8_. There was no signature, but Cho knew who it was from.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked as Cho turned back to him.  
  
"Oh nothing, my parents asking me if I liked the present," Cho replied absently. Harry would have questioned her more but luckily, the best friends, Hermione and Ginny came running up to Cho and dumped a huge basket of presents into Cho's lap.  
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHO!" They squealed.  
  
"Thank you!" Cho replied, hugging them. On closer inspection, Cho saw that the basket contained many small presents.  
  
"What are all of these?" Cho asked.  
  
"There is present in there from each person in the school, except the people from Slytherin house and a few others," Hermione replied.  
  
"And here is my present!" Hermione said eagerly and handed Cho a slip of parchment.  
  
Cho read what the parchment said. "30 galleons off at Flourish and Blotts? Oh my god, thank you Hermione!" Hermione was one of Cho's good friends, and so she knew that Cho loved to read.  
  
Ginny handed her a box from her and gave her one more box - a big one that was wrapped in bright neon coloured wrapping paper. "The big one is from Fred and George," Ginny explained, seeing how Cho looked confused.  
  
Just then, Ron came walking along and handed her a humongous teddy bear that had a thick gold ribbon tied around its neck and a bulky package. "Happy Birthday Cho. The package's from mum. I think she knitted you a sweater," Ron said.  
  
Once again, more people surrounded her and Cho drowned in their presents. Then along came Professor Snape.  
  
"What is all this racket here?" he demanded. "Ah, Miss Chang. I realise that it is your birthday but that does not give you an excuse to disrupt breakfast. 20 points from Ravenclaw."  
  
Everyone immediately groaned but shut up when Snape glared at them. Cho was feeling so happy, however, that even Snape couldn't dampen her mood.  
  
At the end of breakfast, Cho wanted to run back to her room to put all the presents there, but most everyone had left and Harry had already gone back to the Gryffindor table.  
  
As Cho was trying to plan how she was going to get all the presents back to the room without having to make second trips and avoid being late for class, a shadow fell across the table. Cho looked up and lo and behold! There stood Draco!  
  
"Need help?" Draco said in his icy emotionless tone he used during school hours. Gone was the tender compassionate voice Draco had used when he had greeted her this morning.  
  
"Yeah," Cho replied and Draco picked up the basket and many other packages. Cho wondered how he could balance all of them without falling.  
  
They then left the great hall together. Cho didn't notice Harry's bright eyes following them.  
  
As Cho and Draco walked side by side in silence back to their room, Draco spoke.  
  
"I saw you remove the necklace I gave you for Potter's," he said bitterly.  
  
"Yeah... well..." Cho stuttered.  
  
"Why don't you break up with him?"  
  
"NO!" Cho exclaimed.  
  
"Why not?" Draco demanded. "Am I not good enough for you?"  
  
By now they had reached their room. They entered and Cho dumped all the presents on her bed. Draco did likewise.  
  
"No, it's not that Draco! It's just- I can't tell you!" Cho said in frustration.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Draco replied.  
  
"Draco - " Cho stopped talking and grabbed Draco by his tie and pulled him forwards towards her.  
  
Her lips met with his and they started kissing passionately. Draco's hand snaked it's way into Cho's blouse. They broke the kiss and just stared deep into each other's eyes understandingly.  
  
Cho laid her head on Draco's chest and was comforted by the sound of his beating heart. So alive.  
  
Cho looked at the time. "AAH! We're late for lessons!" she exclaimed, pulling away from Draco and rummaged around in her luggage for her textbooks. "What class do you have next?" Draco asked.  
  
"Advanced potions," she replied. Advanced potions was a class that combined all four houses and sixth and seventh years together.  
  
"So do I," Draco said. "I'll walk with you."  
  
Cho finally found her book and together they set out for potions, hand in hand. Everyone was in class, so there was nobody to see them.  
  
Just before the dungeons, Draco and Cho shared one fleeting kiss before letting go of each other and entering the class.  
  
"Sorry we're late Professor," Draco apologised.  
  
Snape, as usual, made some sarcastic remark and deducted yet another 10 points from each house.  
  
Cho took her rightful place next to Harry at the front of the class. He greeted her with a hurt look.  
  
The day went on.

_A/N: What will happen next?_


	13. Thirteen

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters are owned by J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 13  
  
Harry intercepted Cho as she made her way to the great hall for dinner when classes ended for the day. He wrapped a blindfold around Cho's eyes, shielding her vision.  
  
"Hey! Harry! HARRY! What are you doing? Harry!" Cho screamed.  
  
"Shush! Come, follow me!" Harry said. Cho fell silent.  
  
Cho, with Harry's help and guidance, went up three flights of stairs, walked into a wall and gotten raspberries from Peeves blown at her before finally arriving at their destination.  
  
It was a room, Cho could tell, as she heard the squeak of a door. Harry then whipped off her blindfold. They were in the room of requirement. The bright flashes momentarily blinded her eyes as the Creevy brothers took pictures. Her eyes were not yet used to the light.  
  
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" everyone shouted.  
  
She could only stare in awe as everyone threw glittering confetti and balloons on her. Everyone started singing the happy birthday song and Hermione pushed forward a trolley upon which a magnificent five-layer cake lay.  
  
The cake was wonderful! It was coated with white icing and cream, and beautifully spun icing roses adorned the sides of each layer. Edible silver glitter balls were scattered on the surface of the cake. On top of the cake was a white chocolate plaque with the words 'Happy Seventeen Cho!' written on it in chocolate.  
  
Seventeen candles were stuck onto the cake and were brightly burning, illuminating the surprise and shock evident on her face.  
  
The song ended and everyone burst out in cheer. Ginny urged Cho to cut the cake.  
  
"Oh my god! Thank you everyone!" Cho squealed as everyone quietened down. She accepted the cake knife Harry handed to her.  
  
"You have to make a wish. Then cut the cake and serve it to everyone," Ginny said.  
  
"Ginny, don't say that! Cho isn't our maid! We shall cut the cake for her!" Hermione objected.  
  
Cho walked towards the cake a debate raged between Hermione and Ginny. She paused. She had to make a wish. I wish that everything will turn out okay, and with one almighty breath, she blew out all the candles and cut the cake. Everyone cheered. Even Hermione and Ginny stopped fighting  
  
Ron came over and took over the cutting while Cho mingled around with the guests and received more presents.  
  
Cho then noticed the time. It was already 7.30. Cho remembered that she was supposed to meet Draco at 8.  
  
Cho talked around for a while more, but her smiles were all fake. At 7.45, she told Harry that she needed to use the toilet. Instantly, a door leading to a toilet appeared in the room. It was the room of requirement, after all.  
  
Harry barely even had a chance to register her remark on his mind when she dashed out of the room. His suspicions were immediately aroused.  
  
He waited a while, and then he too excused himself and followed Cho out of the room. Just in time too, Cho was just disappearing around the corner.  
  
He walked as quietly as he could, and followed Cho.  
  
As he turned around the corner, he saw Cho entering a classroom. He realised that it was the classroom that he and Cho used to have secret make- out sessions in.  
  
Cho hadn't really known what to expect when Draco had asked to meet her.  
  
When she entered the classroom, she shut the door. Draco was already there. A slow romantic song was playing softly from invisible sources.  
  
Cho advanced uncertainly. "What's this all about?" she asked.  
  
"Can't I have a moment with you?" Draco replied, putting on a puppy eyes look.  
  
Draco approached her. "Can I have this dance?" he asked, offering his hand. Cho laughed as she took it.  
  
Draco pulled her to him and they started dancing in time to the music.  
  
Cho felt so relaxed. Could this day get any better?  
  
When the song ended, Draco led her to a chair. She sat in it, and Draco sat in one facing her.  
  
"You know, I never really got a chance to spend some time together with you today," Draco whispered.  
  
He then pulled out a ring box from within the folds of his robes.  
  
He opened it and two rings lay inside.  
  
The rings were nothing special. They were just two bands of silver, quite plain. Draco took one out and placed it on Cho's fourth finger.  
  
"Draco? What are these for?" Cho asked, looking at her ring.  
  
"As long as I love you, Cho, I will never remove this ring," Draco said, slipping the ring onto his own finger.  
  
Cho's eyes immediately filled with tears. "Draco..." She fell forward and engulfed Draco in a tight embrace, tears spilling out of her eyes.  
  
Outside, Harry reached the classroom and peered in through the window. He saw Cho hugging Draco. He saw as Cho released Draco and their lips met in a soft kiss.  
  
Harry watched with a sinking heart as Draco lifted Cho into his lap and Cho raked her hands through Draco's silvery hair.  
  
Harry had seen enough and left. He would confront Cho about it tomorrow. Meanwhile, he would not disturb her moment.

_A/N: Ha ha... I'm such a meanie, I'm sure alot of you will agree!_


	14. Fourteen

_A/N: I do not own anything. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling._

Chapter 14  
  
The next morning dawned bright and early. Cho went down to breakfast, wearing the ring Draco had given her. When she had inspected closer last night, she had realised that her and Draco's name had been engraved in beautiful flowy script on the inside of the ring.  
  
As she reached her place at the Ravenclaw table, Harry was already waiting for her.  
  
"Hi Harry. What are you doing here?" Cho asked.  
  
"I need to talk to you. _Now_," Harry stressed in a serious tone.  
  
Cho was confused. What was it that Harry wanted to talk about? Harry dragged her to an empty classroom.  
  
"What is this all about, Harry?" Cho asked, sitting on a table.  
  
"I saw you and Draco together last night. Kissing," Harry said.  
  
"Oh..." Cho said, looking away. She had known it would happen. She knew it! Harry had found out.  
  
"Cho, how could you do this to me?" Harry asked, hurt evident in his eyes.  
  
"I- I-," Cho stuttered, at a loss for words. "I... I'm sorry Harry... I didn't want to tell you... I really do love you Harry... It's just I love Draco too..."  
  
"Malfoy? How could you love Malfoy?" Harry spat.  
  
"I just... can!" Cho said.  
  
"It's the same as loving a cube of ice! Cold, dead, unemotional, hard, mean... Do I need to say more?" Harry exclaimed.  
  
"Harry, don't say that! Once you really get to know Draco, you'll find that he has a softer side!" Cho argued.  
  
Harry snorted. "Yeah, right! Am I really expected to believe that MALFOY of all people is actually capable of feeling! That will be the day money starts growing on trees!"  
  
"Harry, just stop, okay? Stop it!" Cho cried, covering her ears and running out of the room.  
  
She raced all the way to her room, flung her book bag on the floor and started crying into her pillow.  
  
Suddenly, Draco entered the room. His eyebrows creased to see Cho in such a state. "What's wrong Cho?"  
  
Cho looked up and saw Draco, and he was very shocked when Cho suddenly flung herself into Draco's arms and started crying into his robes.  
  
When Cho had calmed down enough, he sat her on his bed and sat down next to her. "Now tell me what happened," he said.  
  
"I- I broke up with Harry," Cho replied.  
  
"Really? Does that mean you can date me in public now?" Draco could barely conceal his joy.  
  
Cho hesitated. Then she remembered what Lucius Malfoy had told her.  
  
"No, Draco, we can't go on," said Cho, not looking Draco in the eyes.  
  
Draco was shocked. "But... why?"  
  
"I... Just can't... Please believe me when I say I have no choice," Cho said.  
  
"Why, Cho, why? I thought we had something!" Draco exclaimed, his robes flying as he got off the bed and started pacing the length of the room.  
  
"We did, but now that something is just not meant to be," Cho answered.  
  
"Cho, please!" Draco pleaded.  
  
"I'm sorry Draco, I just can't..." And with that, Cho removed the ring that Draco had given her. Draco watched in disbelief as Cho took the ring and placed it in the drawer of her bedside cabinet along with the diamond heart necklace.  
  
It broke her heart to see Draco in this state. It pained her to remove her ring, their ring, the symbol of their love.  
  
"I'm sorry Draco," she whispered, but Draco had already gone and buried his nose in another textbook and was reading away furiously. He took no notice of what Cho had said, if he had even heard it.  
  
With one final look at Draco, Cho exited the room to look for Harry.


End file.
